Lloyd,

I think you'd be happy with a good contractor's saw. I'm not a big fan of the small, portable bench top saws. They can be very convenient if you need a portable saw, but it doesn't sound that's what you need.

I have a Rigid contractor's saw and I'm very happy with it. It has a good motor, it's pretty quiet, it comes with a very convenient mobile base, and produces smooth, consistent cuts. It also comes with a good fence; I've never felt the need to upgrade to a Biesemeyer. Another great feature is the dust collection chute. It's a funnel-like piece just underneath the blade that has a connection for a shop vac hose. Using a shop vac really reduces the sawdust mess; inhaling Western Red Cedar dust is pretty bad for you.

When ripping strips, I get smooth and consistent results with my table saw. I never have to run my strips through my planer before milling the bead and cove. Inconsistent strip thickness is not a problem with a good saw/fence, it's usually caused by the person ripping the strips or when the board starts to bend as material is removed from one side.

The Rigid saw has (probably) the best warranty available, and for $550, is hard to beat.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100007962

Good luck,

Pedro Almeida

p.s. Other suggestions: 1. Freud Diablo 7.25" blade for ripping strips. 2. Make yourself a sliding table for your saw; it's a great accessory for any saw. 3. Use feather boards and a kerf splitter for ripping strips. 4. Set up an outfeed table. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, a piece of plywood on a couple of supports is fine.